1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to joints and, in particular, relate to joints for the connection of tubular members that may be used for applications such as well tubing or well casings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Threaded joints are often employed as connections for structures such as tubing and may comprise a female member that is internally threaded at both ends, designated as sleeve or box, and two externally threaded male members matching the threaded surfaces of the female member. The correspondence between the threads of the male and female members allows the male members to be attached to each end of the female member by the threaded surfaces. One type of joint presently used is described in the American Petroleum Institute (API) 5B Standard.
The length of the engaged, threaded sections of the male and female members in this type of joint is limited, however. As a result, the engaged threads may become disengaged under load, for example, tensile loadings, combined bending and tensile loadings, and/or shear loadings. The most frequent failure mode in this type of joints is disengagement.
Another disadvantage of such joints is disturbances that arise in the flow lines of fluid flowing within the tube to which the joint is attached. Such disturbances are caused by a shoulder formed between the inner surfaces of the male and female members.
From the forgoing, then, there is a continued need for improved joints for the connection of tubular structures.